Kurdistan’s Weekly Brief

Turkey

A delegation of People’s Democratic Party (HDP) headed by the Co- chair Selahattin Demirtash visited Iraqi Kurdistan and held meeting with the leader of the Major Kurdish parties. HDP delegation announced that the purpose of their visit is to promote the Kurdish unity among the political parties in Kurdistan in the light of the political crises facing the region. Demirtash met Massoud Barzani the President of Iraqi Kurdistan twice during his visit while media reports cited HDP’s mediation to reach agreements among the political parties in the region. During thier visit Kirkuk city, HDP delegation praised the co-existence in Kirkuk and called for peace in Turkey as well. After HDP delegation visit ended in Kurdistan, they headed to Brussels to meet with officials at the European Union.

HDP Co-chair Demirtash was invited by Diyarbakir chief public prosecutor to testify once again in regards to allegations against him by the Turkish government in the case of “membership to a terrorist organization”. Other cases as “spreading terror propaganda” are still ongoing against both of the co-chairs of HDP and several other Kurdish deputies. Meanwhile, 24 Kurdish politicians have been arrested in Batman city on charges of “membership and aiding and abetting a terror organization”. Simultaneously curfews were imposed in several districts in Diyarbakir while military operations are ongoing.

Syria

A large tunnel belongs to ISIS terrorists was found in the city Manbij. The Military Council of Manbij (MMC) announced that the tunnel was used as a hideout from the airstrikes during the liberation operation. The tunnel includes several rooms and main hallway. ISIS lost Manbij city on August 14, 2016, when U.S. led coalition supported the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to liberate the city.

On September 21, the People’s Defense Units (YPG) media center accused the Turkish military of bombarding villages in Kobani suburbs. According to the statement, the Turkish army fired at the Bobane and Til-Sheriye villages of Kobani. Pro- Kurdish media reports also accused Turkey army of shooting 7 people in Neshwa, Hasakah while crossing to Turkey to visit family members. Recently Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yuldir expressed rejection to participate in the liberation of Raqqa if YPG will be included in the operation.

The Kurdish Red Crescent (KRD) opened the first hospital in Kobani with the name of Kobani Hospital, including departments of pediatrics, surgery, orthopedic surgery and tests laboratory.” Head of KRD thanked UNICEF, Doctors without borders and other international organizations for their help in building the hospital.

After decades of suppression and deprivation, the Syriac (Group of Christians) language is taught for the first time at official and private schools in Rojava and Northern Syria. Fifty teachers are getting ready to teach Syriac syllabus in Jazeera canton schools. According to the “social contract of the Democratic Autonomous Administration” official languages in Jazeera canton are Kurdish, Arabic and Syriac.

After several of discussion panels, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) 8th conference ended. The annual conference held in Brussels. During the closing remarks, the conference concluded with “Disapproval of all kinds of oppression and occupation practiced against the Kurdish people in the Rojava, Especially Turkey’s occupation of Jarablus city.” the closing remarks also said” Denouncing the isolation of the leader of the Kurdish people Abdullah Ocalan”.

Iraq

During the unpaid salaries to public service employees, tens of thousands of teachers protested the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in several cities and towns in Kurdistan region. The protestors chanted slogans against the KRG for failing to distribute employees’ salaries for months. KRG is facing financial crises since of June of 2014. Union of Teachers threatened the KRG stop working in the new academic year which starts on October 1. Several organizations participated in the protest.

According to NRT TV source, Iraqi Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani will visit Baghdad to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi to discuss the political, security and economic issues in between Baghdad and Erbil.

On September 24 the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) held a conference in Qara Hanjir district east of Kirkuk city. Governor of Kirkuk, Academics, None-Governmental Organizations and representatives of the Kurdish political parties participated in the conference. The conference called “activation of the Kurdistan parliament immediately and to systematize the political governing by spreading the political parties from the cabinets”. KNK conference ended on September 25 with several recommendations to end the political and economic crises in the region.

Iran

One Peshmerga of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDP-I), died after clashes with Iranian forces last week according to a statement by KDP-I. “Clashes erupted in the villages of Qabrihussein and Prdanan until the morning of September 19,” KDP-I stated. Since June 2016, KDP-I resumed armed struggle against the Iranian regime.